


Some Rules Are Made To Be Broken

by YumYumPM



Category: NCIS
Genre: M/M, Paranormal
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-09
Updated: 2015-02-09
Packaged: 2018-03-11 09:04:15
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,192
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3321707
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/YumYumPM/pseuds/YumYumPM
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Everyone knows that Gibbs has his rules.  But when something happens to Tony, rules go out the window.  Takes place after Season 4.</p><p>Previously Published in Bolo #4</p>
            </blockquote>





	Some Rules Are Made To Be Broken

He shook his head as a wave of dizziness swept over him. He was experiencing a feeling of disorientation, his thoughts more than a little fuzzy. Tony DiNozzo knew who he was, an NCIS special agent, but he wasn’t sure where he was or how he had gotten there. His eyes scanned the immediate area, puzzled to see that he appeared to be standing in a hallway, one that looked eerily familiar. What was he doing in a hospital hallway? 

He brightened when he noticed the team huddled together outside one of the doorways. Gibbs was seated on a bench outside one of the rooms, his face flushed, and his mouth a thin line filled with anger. To Tony, who was pretty well versed in Gibbs’ non-speak, it looked as if Gibbs was taking this one personal. Tony frowned, not liking the feeling of not knowing what was going on.

Gibbs sat slumped forward; his knees spread apart, his arms draped across his knees, his hands clinched together tightly. Ducky, standing behind him, had one hand resting on Gibbs’ shoulder in somber support, while Palmer stood close by on Gibbs’ other side. Abby was hanging onto McGee, her head buried into his neck while Ziva stood rather stiffly, just a little apart from the grouping, talking with a policeman. 

Tony headed toward them with the intent of finding out what was going on, without them finding out he didn’t know.

“When I catch the bastard that did this, I’ll make him pay,” Jethro Leroy Gibbs gritted his teeth and spat out, more to himself than to the group around him. 

Ducky squeezed Gibbs’ shoulder, worried he turned to look at Palmer over Gibbs’ head. Tony frowned, wondering who had Gibbs in such an uproar and still thinking how strange it was that the entire team was there.

Ziva chose that moment to chime in. “It could very well have been a bitch. Probably was.”

Timothy, his arms protectively around Abby, glared at Ziva. Ziva’s comment had come off as tactless.

Tony chewed on his lower lip; curious as to whom the object of their conversation was. He was also very confused. “Hey, Boss, who are we talking about here?” 

Gibbs ignored him to bark at Probie, “McGee !”

“Backtrack his movements; check his e-mails and his cell phone. On it, Boss,” McGee responded before Gibbs could even finish with his order.

“I’ll…I’ll go over everything with a fine tooth comb,” Abby blurted out desperately. “We’ll find out who did this, Gibbs.” 

Gibbs nodded his acknowledgment adding a small smile. It was obvious that whomever they were discussing meant a lot to Gibbs. 

“Ziva!”

“I know. Check out his enemies.” Ziva nodded glumly. “That could take awhile. Just the females suspects alone…owww.” She rubbed the back of her head where she had been Gibbs’-smacked by Abby and glared huffily at her. “Why did you do that?”

Gibbs moved closer to Ziva until they were almost nose-to-nose. His glare more menacing then indignant as he demanded, “Do you honestly think a woman could do that to someone?” 

“I could,” Ziva confirmed somewhat bluntly.

“Ziva!” At least three voices hissed, doing their best to be quiet in a hospital corridor.

“What?” Ziva responded with a shrug. “I could have.”

Gibbs shook his head, he knew Tony and Ziva carried on something that resembled a love/ hate relationship, but still. “Do you hate him that much?”

“No, of course not,” Ziva shrunk back a little. “I didn’t mean…”

It was then that Tony got a glimpse into the room. Tony couldn’t make out who it was; every inch was wrapped up like a mummy. Something clicked and suddenly he realized that the body covered in bandaging was his. He started to hyperventilate. “Oh, my god, oh, my god. Somebody tell me I’m not dead.” 

“You’re not dead.”

Tony turned and found himself facing someone from his past – Kate Todd and she was wearing the school uniform that he last imagined her in. He raised one eyebrow mockingly.

“You don’t seem surprised to see me?” Kate pouted.

“Lot’s of precedence. Topper, Ghost,… Beetlejuice. All classics. You’re sure I’m not dead? What happened to me?”

Kate smiled wickedly at him. “Sorry, Tony, but I’m not allowed to tell you what happened.” She walked over to stand next to McGee and her outfit changed. She was now wearing a leather outfit, fishnet stockings, and carrying a whip. She slapped the whip against her palm. “At least I’m wearing clothes.”

Tony looked down at himself and realized he was naked. He shrieked like a girl and tried to hide his privates behind his hands.

“Tony, calm down.” Kate’s expression changed to one of concern. As she moved nearer to Abby, her hair, now blonde, grew much longer, her outfit morphing into a long black dress, but she was too late. Tony’s eyes rolled toward the back of his head. Alarms were going off in the hospital room and the head nurse yelled, “Code blue.”

 

The swishing of curtains woke Tony DiNozzo up. 

“Hello, Darling. Daddy’s out of town tonight and Mommy needs for her little boy to stay in his bed.” Over him stood his mother, wearing her black lingerie and as she had many a night while he was young, holding out a glass of warm milk. Being five he wasn’t supposed to know, but this could only mean that she was going to have company for the night. “Here, sweetie, drink this.” 

Tony gingerly took the glass from her, neither him nor his mother noticing that his hands were not child-size. He drank the milk down as he always did. She patted him on his head cooing, “That’s my good boy.” 

His eyes closed as he fell back into a deep sleep.

 

Tony sighed deeply and set down the receiver to the phone. Thank god for room service. He had thought he and Senior would have some quality time together, but it had been two days since he’d seen his father and jumping up and down on the bed had long since lost its thrill. Was it possible that his father had forgotten that he’d brought his one and only son along? If he did it would be the last time. Tony folded his arms and waited for his snack. He might only be twelve but he was a force to be reckoned with.

One of these days he was going to become a detective and find out just what his father did when he was not around. A huge yawn escaped and Tony’s eyes drooped.

 

“Hey, Potty boy! Get your ass over here.” 

Tony flinched at the loud call. Not for the first time did he wish that Senior had not dubbed him with that outrageous name. Keeping his head down, he hefted the heavy bucket and shuffled over to the smirking confederate soldier. It was so humiliating. Why oh why did his dad have to be interested in Civil War Reenactments? And why did he have to attend? 

“Tony! That is so disgusting.”

Tony looked up and around, relief spreading through him. He had been trapped in his past and now he was back. And fully clothed. He grinned at her wondering what she would have thought if they’d landed smack dab into one of his get-togethers with his fraternity brothers. The entire NCIS group was still there and Tony’s gaze went to each of his friends and stopped abruptly when it got to Palmer. If he didn’t know any better he would have thought that they had made eye contact. But that was ridiculous. 

“Thank god,” Ducky murmured, leaning against Palmer. All the excitement had died down. The doctor, after having worked hard to get Tony’s heart beating again, had stopped to give them a prognosis. Tony was in a coma and they weren’t sure how long it would be before he came out of it, but they were fairly sure that he would make it.

Gibbs breathed a sigh of relief then realizing he sounded as if he cared, gruffly sent the rest of the team off. Everyone that is except Ducky and Palmer, neither who would leave until Gibbs did. 

“Ummm, why don’t I get us some coffee?” Palmer offered. Without waiting for an answer he headed for the room where the coffee machine was located.   
Tony followed him. “You can see me, can’t you?”

Palmer didn’t respond right away. He deliberately put coins in the machine and pressed a button, before answering. “Yes.”

“You can see me!” Tony grinned broadly. Then he frowned. “Why can you see me? You’re like one of those…” he snapped his finger. “It’s right on the tip of my tongue. Ghost whispers. That’s it, isn’t it?” He grew concerned. “That means I’m dead!”

Kate rolled her eyes. “Tony, how many times do I have to tell you that you’re not dead?” 

“Shut up, Kate.” Tony demanded.

“Who are you talking to?” 

“Kate. She’s standing right here.” Tony pointed to her.

Palmer stare blankly where Tony pointed seeing nothing. He turned back to DiNozzo. “Tony, I don’t see dead people. Therefore you are not dead,”   
Palmer said patiently.

Tony looked dubious.

“When my grandfather was seriously ill and unconscious, I could…talk to him.” Palmer explained. “However when I told my family, they thought I was making it up. They even had me talk to a psychiatrist.” He shook his head. “But all that doesn’t matter…Tony, who did this to you?”

Tony frowned then shook his head. 

“Jimmy, what is taking you so long?” Palmer jumped almost spilling the coffee as Ducky walked into the room, stopping any further inquiries. Ducky wrapped his arms around Palmer and held him close. 

“Something wrong?” Palmer asked with concern. Ducky wasn’t normally the clinging type.

“Tony’s Father is here.”

“Dad?” “Mr. DiNozzo Senior?” Tony and Palmer asked at the same time.

“What’s he doing here?” Tony asked Palmer.

Even though Ducky had not heard the question he answered it. “He’s accusing Jethro of intentionally hurting Tony!” 

Tony sprinted out of the room while Palmer pushed the hot coffee cup into Ducky’s hands and followed close behind. 

“What was that all about?” Ducky mused aloud as he followed more sedately. 

 

Tony rushed back to the hallway, a bad feeling in his stomach.

His father and Gibbs were in a face-off, glaring daggers at each other. Palmer skidded to a stop and watched nervously. It looked like a showdown at the OK Corral.

“You continue to hurt my boy and I’ll make sure you pay and pay dearly,” Anthony Sr. said through gritted teeth.

“Why is it just now that you act as if you care when you never have before?” Gibbs demanded.

Tony managed somehow to insinuate himself between the two men.

“Stop, Dad!” Tony ordered, knowing full well that his father couldn’t hear him.

An expression of puzzlement crossed Anthony Sr.’s face and he backed away. He pointed a finger at Gibbs and offered a final parting shot. “If Junior dies…” Then he turned and hurried back down the hallway as quickly as he had come.

“Tony’s not going to die,” Gibbs shouted after him, bringing the entire nursing staff down on him, trying to quiet him.

Ducky arrived just in time to placate the nursing staff before turning to try to calm Gibbs down. “Why don’t you go home, at least clean up and change? The doctors have given Anthony an extremely strong sedative. He won’t be coming to for hours. ”

Gibbs shook his head. “Not going anywhere, Ducks. Not till we find the bastard who did this.”

“He’s perfectly safe here, Jethro, you don’t have to guard him.” Ducky gave Gibbs a sharp look. “Or do you? You can’t possibly think that this has something to do with you.” Ducky shook his head in disbelief.

“It wouldn’t be the first time.” Gibbs suddenly yawned. “Go home, Ducky, there is nothing more you can do here.” 

Ducky sighed; there was no getting through to Gibbs when he was like this. Even Palmer had worked with Gibbs long enough to know that Gibbs took most of his cases personally. 

“Take your boy…toy with you.” Gibbs suggested. His words were slurred and he shook his head as if trying to clear it.

Before Palmer could do more then look indignant at the comment, Gibbs’ eyes rolled back into his head and he slumped down in his seat. Ducky just managed to catch him on one side, with Palmer on the other, before he hit the floor.

“Is he going to be all right?” Palmer asked.

“Eventually. Let’s get Jethro home for now.” 

Palmer put his shoulder underneath Gibbs’ armpit, taking much of the weight off of Ducky. Hefting him upward, the two of them started shuffling down the hall, Gibbs suspended between them. “He’s not going to be pleased when he wakes up. Just what is it you did to him?”

“Let’s just say that Tony’s not the only one that got a sedative tonight.” Ducky chuckled smugly. “Now, dear boy, is there anything you’d like to tell me?”

Palmer looked sheepish. “Not at the moment.”

“Hmmm, did I ever tell you about the time I worked for this international organization? I learned a lot about interrogations from them.”

Judging by the smile on Palmer’s face, he wasn’t the least bit intimidated.

While waiting for the elevator door to open, Ducky took that moment to kiss him lightly on the lips. “Thank you for staying. This whole ordeal is especially hard on Jethro.”

Any time, Ducky. Any time,” Jimmy said affectionately. 

 

Tony watched as Ducky and Palmer managed to manhandle the deadweight of Gibbs’ body through the unlocked door of his house.

“Damn, he’s heavy,” Palmer panted. “Where to now?”

“Up this way,” Ducky nodded toward the stairs. Palmer was puffing under the heavy weight, while amazingly Ducky for his advanced age didn’t seem the least bit winded. 

“So this is where Gibbs lives.” Kate was staring around as if she’d never been there before. “Needs a little work.”

Tony ignored Kate. He pretty much knew this house inside and out. He was kind of surprised that he could be somewhere other than the hospital though he didn’t seem to have any control over his whereabouts. Or did he? He shut his eyes and the next thing he knew he was in Gibbs’ bedroom.

Ducky and Palmer lowered Gibbs to his bed. 

“Ah, Jethro, you’ll thank me for this later,” Ducky said as he covered his friend.

“I hope you’re right, Ducky. I really don’t want to stay around and find out.”

“I’m not sure it’s a good idea to leave him alone.” Ducky looked down at Gibbs worriedly.

“We could stay in the spare room.” Palmer wiggled his eyebrows suggestively.

“Oh, I’m sure Jethro would love that,” Ducky responded dryly. “I’ll go downstairs and fix us some coffee. It’s going to be a long night.” 

Palmer smiled fondly at Ducky as he left the room before straightening his shoulders and turning to face Tony.

Tony grinned broadly as he leaned against the wall. Not an easy thing to do since he had no substance. “You and Ducky? You’re a couple? The old dog! Does Gibbs know? What did he say?”

Palmer shrugged. “Not that it is any of your business, but he muttered something about Rule 12.”

Tony snickered. Rule 12 was “never date a coworker”. At least he thought that was the way it went. Strangely it was becoming harder and harder for him to remember and that scared him. 

In the back of his mind, Tony felt that there was something missing. Something that he and Gibbs shared, something tangible. Tony shook his head. He looked down at Gibbs wishing he could do more than just look. Since watching was all he could do, he spent the rest of the night doing just that. While he had always admired his boss, he knew that his feelings for Gibbs, though well hidden, had not changed. Though Gibbs was older, he was in great physical shape. Tony had never managed to catch a glimpse of that body. Maybe he could talk Palmer into letting him see more.

He headed down the stairs. “Hey, Palmer,” Tony called out. The coffee was percolating and Ducky had Palmer sitting at the kitchen table and they were holding hands. Catching sight of Tony, Palmer’s eyes veering nervously toward where Tony had stood just seconds ago. He let out a startled gasp. 

Ducky looked around the room. “Jimmy, there is no one in this house except Gibbs and us.”

“Right,” Palmer agreed nervously.

“I never knew you were such a prude,” Kate smirked, standing against the wall just outside the kitchen doorway.

“I’m not,” Tony tone was indignant. Was Kate going to haunt him for the rest of his life? “It’s just that I didn’t expect…”

“Ducky’s older, Tony, but he’s not dead.” 

Tony peeked around the doorframe. Nope. Ducky certainly wasn’t dead.

Kate chucked loudly. “Remember when you were spreading rumors that McGee was gay?”

“Yeah.” 

“Well he’s not.”

What was Kate getting at? That was all ancient history; Tony had always known that Timothy wasn’t gay. 

“You mean Palmer and Ducky?” That too was no longer news.

“Nope.” 

“Then who is?”

Her eyes looked pointedly at the ceiling.

Tony looked at her blankly. There was no one up there…no one except…Gibbs? Was she implying that Gibbs was gay? “No way.”

Kate merely shrugged her shoulders in a ‘believe me or not’ attitude.

Before Tony could respond he found himself seated at his desk inside NCIS headquarters and wondering why. Ziva and McGee appeared to be working furiously on their computers, not paying the least bit of attention to him. Tony couldn’t for the life of him remember what case they were working on.  
Kate appeared next to him just as he began to wonder if he was dreaming this whole thing up. If he was, he really more than ready to wake up.

“Why are you still here?” he asked irritably. “I can’ t seem to get rid of you.”

“Truthfully?” Kate shrugged. “I don’t know. Something keeps pulling me back to you. I think there is something I’m supposed to do before I can move on.” She looked at Ziva. “Who’s she?”

“Thought you knew everything…ah hah.” Tony said exuberantly. “You don’t.” 

“Whatever.” Kate rolled her eyes. She eyed Tony thoughtfully. “You like her.”

Tony kept his eyes on Ziva. “She’s okay.”

Kate smirked while Ziva hit her keyboard and threw her hands in the air. “This is impossible! How am I supposed to narrow down suspects? The list is endless.”

McGee, keeping his own frustration at bay, suggested, “Start with the most recent and work your way back.” He looked over his computer screen. “That would mean starting with you.”

Ziva wrinkled her nose at him. “If I wanted to hurt Tony I would have done so in Paris.”

McGee stopped what he was doing to display interest. “So exactly what did happen between the two of you in Paris?” Ziva had said she’d slept on the couch, but then Tony had claimed the same, saying he’d given Ziva the bed. McGee shook his head; there were more important things to think about. One of them being that he wasn’t making any progress on his search. Maybe Abby was having more luck.

All of a sudden Tony was inside Abby’s lab. She had on her heavy boots, her striped socks, white overcoat over short skirt, and latex gloves. Her face gave her away; she was not her usual happy effervescent Abby. Tony wanted nothing more than to take her in his arms and take away her pain. At the same time, he kept wondering how it was he could mysteriously pop from one place to another.

The sliding glass doors swished open and McGee wandered in. Abby rushed as fast as her heavy shoes would let her and wrapped her arms around him. “Oh, Timmy!”

McGee held her tightly, and kissed the side of her hair. He knew how hard this case was on her. 

She pulled back from his embrace, her eyes glittering with unshed tears. “Why would anyone do such a thing? It’s scary to think that someone’s life can be taken away from them just like that.” Abby snapped her fingers. “And Tony has so much to live for. It makes you think…like…do you ever wonder what our lives would be like if we’d taken our friendship to the next level?” Abby wiped her eyes with her sleeve. “I mean what if something like this happened to one of us, would we regret…that we hadn’t taken our relationship to the top. Some day we might have had some little Timothys running around here.”

“You know I love you, Abs, but what if it didn’t work out?”

“That would be the reason for rule number 12.” Gibbs charged in all business, the obligatory Caf-Pow in his hand, with Ducky and Palmer close behind. Even a good sedative couldn’t seem to keep Gibbs down. “What have you got so far?”

Abby and McGee exchanged glances and McGee went first.

“His car is still in the parking lot; his phone is in his desk drawer, no calls of interest, nothing of note on his computer either. I did manage to locate the taxi that picked him up here. Their records show that they dropped him off at Arlington National Cemetery.”

Abby visibly shivered. “That’s spooky.” 

“I wouldn’t have thought something like that would have bothered you, Abigail,” Ducky posed.

“Normally it wouldn’t,” Abby responded. “But in this case.” She shivered again. “Do you suppose he had a premonition?”

Gibbs gave her the Gibbs’ stare as he handed over her Caf-Pow.

Abby set it down without even taking a sip. She moved to the table where shreds of bloodied material lay, passing Tony by inches. Gingerly she picked up one of the slashed pieces. She took a deep breath and did her best to keep her composure. “The suit is the one Tony was wearing the last time any of us saw him; blood stains are definitely his. Judging by the angle of the cuts and the depth, it was done by something extremely sharp.”

“A switchblade?” Gibbs suggested.

“Something sharper.”

“Scalpel?” Ducky guessed.

“Maybe, but I don’t think so. The lengths of the cuts are too long.”

“Japanese sword?” Palmer threw out, earning him a glare from everyone, including Tony.

“Right now I don’t know.” Abby lowered her voice to a whisper. “I’m not sure I want to know.”

McGee gathered her in a firm hug.

Tony couldn’t help but wonder what exactly had happened to him. Then looking at his bloodied Gucci suit, decided he really didn’t want to know. Whoever had done this must really hate him.

Tony’s gaze connected with Palmer’s, then he felt a tingling sensation, then a jolt. The next thing he knew he was sitting at his desk once again. Ziva was at her desk on the phone speaking in her native language.

Gibbs’ approach would have been silent except for the loud footsteps that followed behind him. Ziva quickly hung up the phone as he stopped in front of her desk and turned, glaring exasperatedly at the group behind him.

McGee skirted around him, heading toward his desk, Abby’s hand held tightly in his own. Ducky stood where he was, his expression one of innocence.

“I’m with him,” Palmer declared, jerking his thumb toward Ducky.

Ziva cleared her throat uneasily; Gibbs turned toward her. his eyes narrowed.

“I took McGee’s advice and worked my way backwards through Tony’s enemies. Most of them are either in jail or dead. As for the female acquaintances, there weren’t as many as I would have thought. Strangely enough Tony has not been dating as much this past year.” There was an incredulous look on her face. “Then there is Dr. Jeanne Benoit.”

“La Grenouille’s daughter?” McGee asked. “She accused Tony of murdering her father.”

“Yes, but unfortunately she has an alibi. She has been in Europe for the past six months. There are really only a couple of other women, one of whom posted his name and identity on a herpes alert website; the other, who broke into his apartment and left dog feces in his closet.” Ziva shivered in distaste as she reported this last item. 

Palmer happened to be glancing Tony’s way at the mention of Dr. Benoit’s name and couldn’t help but notice the expression of sadness on Tony’s face. He’d always suspected that Tony’s feelings toward her had run deeper then he let on.

Tony’s face suddenly went white. His ear drums were ringing and he was unable to hear anything. He looked down as blood began spurting from his chest. Palmer, who happened to be looking his way, began panicking as the blood spread across Tony’s desk. Frantically trying to get Ducky’s attention, Palmer insisted, “Something’s wrong. We’ve got to get back to the hospital.” 

One look at Palmer’s face was all it took. Ducky instantly took out his cell phone; at the same time doing his best to get everyone’s attention. Quickly he requested that his call be transferred the nursing station on Tony’s floor. No one picked up, causing Ducky to worry even more. He called the hospital back demanding someone check and got a garbled reply. Snapping his phone shut angrily, “I hate to say this, but I think Jimmy’s right. Something’s wrong,” Ducky confirmed. 

The phone on McGee’s desk rang and he picked it up. “Yes.” The conversation was short. “Someone just blew Tony’s apartment up.”

“What!” Abby squealed.

Thunder crossed Gibbs’ face. “Someone is out to destroy Tony and I want to know who and why. And I want to know NOW!”

“What are you waiting for, people? Let’s move it.” Gibbs didn’t think twice and was on his way to the elevator in an instance. Ziva grabbed her bag; McGee grabbed Abby and along with Ducky and Jimmy followed close behind.

When Palmer glanced back Tony and the blood was gone.

 

Kate tilted her head to one side as she stood in a corner of Tony’s hospital room keeping watch over him. She wondered what her life would have been like if it had not been cut short, especially what it would have been like if she and Tony had…was Tony really as good as he thought he was? She let out a sigh. As it stood now she would never know. 

One moment she had been with Tony at NCIS headquarters and the next she had been back at the hospital. She frowned as two new doctors entered the room; something about them seemed off, though she couldn’t quite put her finger on the reason why she felt that way. They seemed to be doing the right things; they looked at his chart and checked the machines Tony was hooked up to. Then they exchanged glances and one of them pulled a knife. It was then that Kate knew why she was still there. Concentrating with all her might, she somehow managed to set off every alarm there was in the room.   
Tony’s eyes, the only visible thing about him, popped open suddenly, startling the doctor enough that he halted before plunging the knife into Tony’s chest. It was just enough of a distraction that enabled Tony to bring his wrapped hands up to grab hold and stop the knife’s downward motion. 

The commotion in the hallway did the rest. The attacker dropped the knife, while the other doctor issued a foul curse. The two faded into the background that as the room was invaded by several nurses, their attention focus on Tony. They managed to make good their escape in the confusion.   
They had surprise on their side when they made to push their way through the NCIS group that was entering. Ziva stepped to the front, her ponytail swirling, as she did a round kick taking out one of their opponents. The other one slipped though, heading toward Palmer who was the last in line. He shut his eyes tightly and took a swing. His fist connected and when he opened his eyes the last of their opponents was on the floor and Gibbs and McGee had their guns drawn aimed at the unconscious body.

“Good job, Palmer,” Gibbs said admiringly.

“Tony!” In Palmer’s panic he ran over the downed man on his way to the elevator. Gibbs ordered Ziva and McGee to stay with the suspect as he followed Palmer with Ducky and Abby close behind.

 

Tony was getting tired of all the prodding and poking. He looked over the doctor’s shoulder and saw Kate standing in the corner. She gave him a wink, blew him a kiss, and vanished.

There was a commotion in the hallway. Tony turned his head, one of the few body parts that seemed to work. The doctor pulled the curtain around his bed, cutting off Tony’s view of the gang. In the short amount of time that he’d had he couldn’t forget the look on Gibbs’ face. There was a scary sort of determination to it that Tony didn’t really feel ready to deal with, Palmer on the other hand... Tony reached out and pulled the doctor close.  
Palmer, Ducky, Gibbs and Abby stood outside Tony’s room, waiting for word on his current condition. The doctor came out the door and they all converged on him asking questions. He held up one hand stemming the flow of questions.

“I’ll answer all your questions once all the results are in. In the meantime Mr. DiNozzo has asked for a word with a…Mr. Palmer?”

“Palmer?” Three voices spoke in disbelief.

Jimmy, secretly pleased to have been asked for, entered the room. Glancing back nervously, he squared his shoulders and swept through the curtains.  
Tony lay peacefully in his bed, and then his eyes popped open, a piercing green against the white bandages.

Tony’s voice was husky as he spoke. “I suppose you’re wondering why I asked for you.”

“Not just me,” Jimmy muttered, running his finger around the inside of his collar.

“Gibbs mad?”

“More like furious. Not at you,” Jimmy hurriedly assured him. “At least not entirely. Tony, we got ‘em!”

“Them?” 

“Yeah!” Jimmy nodded his head up and down excitedly. 

“Who are they?” Tony asked. It was clear from the puzzled look in his eyes that he had no idea who would have done this to him. He noticed that Jimmy was getting uncomfortable with the topic currently under discussion. “You and Ducky. I didn’t just dream that?”

“No.” Jimmy blushed. 

“It just seems so strange…the age difference and all.”

“No different from you and Gibbs.”

“There is no me and Gibbs.”

“But you want there to be. I saw the way you were looking at him at his house.”

Tony scowled, not wanting to admit it.

“Don’t knock it until you’ve tried it,” Jimmy smiled dreamily. “Ducky says I make him feel young. It’s not just about the sex…though the sex is great…”  
He laughed at the look of horror on Tony’s face. “I never knew you were such a prude.”

Tony glared; Palmer was the second person to have accused him of that.

At that moment Ducky stuck his head around the curtain. “Gibbs wants to see him.”

Jimmy patted Tony’s bandaged hand. “It will be okay.”

“Yeah, sure,” Tony muttered, not so sure it would.

While waiting for Gibbs to come in, Tony looked down at his hands, peeked under the sheets, then touched his gauze covered face. Remembering his slashed clothing it was fast becoming apparent that when that he wasn’t coming out of this without a certain amount of scarring. He’d always been rather vain about his looks and the thought of how much damage had been done scared him shitless. His biggest fault had always been judging people by their looks and now it was coming back to haunt him.

The sliding of a chair across the floor caused him to look up. Gibbs was just sitting there staring at him.

“You gonna smack me on the head, Boss?”

“Nope.”

Tony wasn’t sure if that was a good sign or not. “So just how bad is it?” 

Gibbs shrugged. “Don’t know. They have to remove the bandages, see how bad the damage is.”

Tony winced. He might not want to hear the truth, but one thing he knew for certain, Gibbs would not lie to him. “When are they letting me out of here?”

Gibbs leaned back in his chair and fidgeted slightly. “Tony it might not be for a while and even when they do…”

There was fear in Tony’s eyes as he thought the worse.

Gibbs leaned forward. “Tony, I need to tell you something.”

“I know, Palmer told me.”

Gibbs looked relieved. “You’re taking this better than I expected.”

Tony was truly puzzled. “Why shouldn’t I? Palmer didn’t tell me who they were though.”

“I’m not talking about the son-of-a-bitches that did this. I’m talking about your apartment.”

“What about my apartment?”

“Some one blew it up.”

“What!” Tony sat up suddenly and a sharp pain ripped through his chest. He groaned and fell back against the pillow. Just when you thought things couldn’t get any worse.

A nurse entered the room and swished back the curtain, looking at her watch. “Visiting hours are over and it is time for your pain medicine.”

Reluctantly Gibbs got up and moved toward the door. As he shut the door he heard Tony call out.

“Boss, you can’t just leave me here. Boss…Boss.” 

 

Two weeks later Gibbs sat at a table in the hospital commissary with Ducky, along with the rest of the team, a hot cup of coffee in his hand. The investigation had been put to rest and Tony was being released the next day. The doctors had been had been shocked and amazed when they cut away the gauze and found that the many cuts were well on the way to healing and that scarring would be minimal. 

Ducky shook his head sadly and let out a heavy sigh. “I should have known.”

“How were you possibly supposed to know?” Gibbs did his best to placate the distraught man.

“When I was in the backseat with Rene` he mentioned he had three children and two grand children. A girl and a boy I believe he said.” Ducky looked down morosely into his cold cup of coffee wishing for something stronger.

Rene` Benoit, an arms dealer also known as La Grenouille (The Frog), had been the bane of Jen Sheppards’ career. She had used Tony to get close to him through his daughter, thereby making Tony a target. The fact that she was dead had not changed things.

“Who would have thought his eldest son would extract his revenge on Tony in such a manner?” Ziva contributed.

The investigation into the bombing of Tony’s apartment had proven not to be related to the attack on his life. It turned out that his landlord had been short of money taking advantage of the fact that Tony was in the hospital had set off an explosive for the insurance money. 

“What’s going to happen now that Tony’s more or less homeless?” Abby asked.

Gibbs shifted uncomfortably in his seat. He would come to the hospital late at night and sneak into Tony’s room and watch him sleep. Tony somehow sensed he was there, waking up shortly after his arrival. They’d talked late into the night, eventually baring their souls. “Umm, Tony’s going to be staying at my place.”

McGee looked dubious. “And Tony’s okay with that?”

Abby head slapped him. “Duh. Tony’s gonna love it.”

When Gibbs had broached the subject of Tony moving in with him, Tony had had been somewhat doubtful. Gibbs had explained that the doctors would not release him until they were assured that someone would be available to watch over him. Tony was a bit disappointed, but then Gibbs pulled out a picture out of his wallet. One that had been Tony remembered very well. He could just hear Kate laughing at him as he accidentally sent the doctored photo to Gibbs by e-mail years before. 

Gibbs looked at it fondly. “I’ve jerked off many a night to this picture. I’m thinking about having it framed. Maybe have Abby Photoshop my picture onto it.”

“You knew?”

“That Abby worked her magic on this at Kate’s instigation. Well, duh.” Gibbs rolled his eyes. 

The others didn’t know that. The just nodded thoughtfully, then one by one stretched a bit before finally heading home, McGee and Abby leaving hand in hand with Ziva following. Palmer got up and stood waiting by the door as Ducky was the last to leave. He couldn’t resist leaning close and smirking a bit.  
“And what about Rule 12?”

Gibbs shrugged. “Maybe some rules are made to be broken.”


End file.
